Hofestede's dimensions of cultures look at how the workplace is influenced by culture. His study was conducted between 1967 and 1973 working with people from all across the world. His study overall helps travelers and people working in the international business sectors better understand intercultural communication. Canada had a strong deviation among its French-Quebec speaking populations and English speaking populations.
Figuring Foreigners Out outlines different aspects of cultures that can separate and divide people but also brings groups of people/cultures together. The reading observes individualist vs collectivist cultures, nonverbal communication, mono-chronic vs poly-chronic approaches to time, internal vs external ways to manipulate and shape one's destiny, and direct vs indirect communication. A lot of these concepts have parallels but also contradict one another, depending on the reader and the culture that they identify with.
I think the Hofestede's study is prevalent nowadays because International business is a booming sector as we speak. I don't know much about business studies and how it all works, but it makes sense that at UR we have an International Business major that is combined with the study of a foreign language. I feel like my family should read Hofestede's dimensions of culture (LOL) because sometimes they struggle to understand how intercultural communication can impact both work life and everyday life out and about.
I think that the title "Figuring Foreigners Out" comes off as a little controversial. When I hear the word "foreigner", it can have a negative and/or positive connotation depending on the context. If you actually dive into the reading, it can be a good way to self reflect on your own identity and how you communicate with people that may have different backgrounds from yourself. Some of the statements in this article can come off as euro-centric, particularly in the section about nonverbal communication. I think that it is an assessment made to be primarily used by Westerners and to analyze their interactions with non-Westerners. This in itself can be controversial/problematic because it caters to increasing the understanding of a particular group of people, especially those associated with colonization. I can see French speakers from France using this chart, but maybe not a French speaker from Africa "as much" so to speak. Just something interesting to think about: who is going out of their way to think about intercultural communication?
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